Mysterious clicking sound

[derek681]

Does anyone have any idea would could be making quite aloud clicking noise in my tank as every now and then i hear this random clicking noise i thought it was my scallop clapping its shell but that was kidnapped by one of my crabs and has now passed to the other side and it is still happening. Anyone have any ideas?

[mogurnda]

I'd bet on a pistol shrimp. Isolated snapping noises are usually these guys, and most of them are harmless.

If it's a mantis shrimp, you will normally hear repetitive, almost metallic banging. And your snails and shrimp will disappear one by one.

[singern]

Do you see broken Snail shells, missing crustations? If so my guess is Pistol Shrimp.

[Cartman102]

When lights have been out for a while and the room is pitch dark grab a flash light with a red type of paper over the light and shine it through the glass of the tank. The red paper will help not scare any of the creatures you will see(what I'v been told). Then just look around and see if you can see the "thing" making the noise. It may be a pistol shrimp or a mantis shrimp.

[YoFishboy]

Unfortunately, I think it is more likely that a mantis would be a hitch hiker in your tank...

[mogurnda]

Unfortunately, I think it is more likely that a mantis would be a hitch hiker in your tank...
That's not been my experience. Both in the dozens of "what is that clicking in my tank" posts, and in my own tanks, pistols have far outnumbered mantises.

A couple of things about mantises and nighttime. First, they are primarily diurnal, and tend to climb into a hidey hole at night. Second, if they happen to out at night, the spectral sensitivity of their eyes is well beyond ours, and they can see red as well as you or I can.